Origin
Ladera Heights, CA
Morning in Ladera Heights on Tuesday
Local time
7:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ladera Heights, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
12.2 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 19m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ladera Heights, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Traveling from Ladera Heights to downtown Los Angeles covers a short 12.2-mile distance that typically takes about 20 minutes to complete. Because this is a quick trip within the Pacific Coast region, you can easily handle it as a straightforward day trip without needing an overnight stay. You will navigate a mix of local roads and major thoroughfares, including South La Cienega Boulevard, the Santa Monica Freeway, and South Main Street. Budgeting about $3 for fuel makes this an incredibly affordable transit option. Whether you are commuting or heading into the city for the day, the efficiency of this route allows for significant flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| South La Cienega Boulevard | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| South Main Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| South Fairfax Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Bedford Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| West Slauson Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West 18th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Sherbourne Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Monica Freeway
— 5.4 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ladera Heights, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Bedford Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Bedford Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto West 57th Street
319 ft
·
15 sec
·
West 57th Street
3
Turn right onto South Sherbourne Drive
402 ft
·
23 sec
·
South Sherbourne Drive
4
At end of road, turn left onto West Slauson Avenue
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
West Slauson Avenue
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Use the left lane.
6
Turn straight onto South La Cienega Boulevard
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
South La Cienega Boulevard
7
Turn slight right onto South Fairfax Avenue
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
South Fairfax Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto West Washington Boulevard
335 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Washington Boulevard
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 10 East: Los Angeles, Santa Monica Freeway
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto I 10
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Santa Monica Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Santa Monica Freeway
Toward Western Avenue, Normandie Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward Grand Avenue, Olive Street, Convention Center
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto West 18th Street
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
West 18th Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn left onto South Main Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
15
Turn left onto West 1st Street
69 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 1st Street
16
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 9.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
West Slauson Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto West Slauson Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
4.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 East: Los Angeles, Santa Monica Freeway
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 10 East: Los Angeles, Santa Monica Fre...
8
7.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway toward Western Avenue, Normandie Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Western Avenue, Normandie Avenue
7
9.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward Grand Avenue, Olive Street, Convention Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Grand Avenue, Olive Street, Convention C...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.80 one way
$5.61 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $2.89 | $5.78 |
| premium | $6.18 | $2.97 | $5.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.69 | $5.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.28 | $0.59 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.07 | $0.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Los Angeles, CA
Morning in Los Angeles on Tuesday
Local time
7:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 2:48PM PDT until April 16 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 2:48PM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
20m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience as you transition from neighborhood streets to the busier arterials of Los Angeles. With highway travel accounting for 44% of the trip, you will encounter a brief, fast-paced stretch on the Santa Monica Freeway, which serves as your longest uninterrupted segment at 5.4 miles. The remainder of your journey involves navigating South La Cienega Boulevard and South Main Street, where the pace naturally slows down to match urban traffic conditions. This combination keeps the drive from feeling like a monotonous interstate grind, offering a balance between highway speed and local road maneuvering.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.4 mi on Santa Monica Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near West Slauson Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 12.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 20m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (West Slauson Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Ladera Heights, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Convention Center along the way.
Convention Center
9.8 mi in
|
~15m
About the Cities
Arriving in Los Angeles, CA
Full guide →“Tinseltown” · Founded 1781
Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.
Top landmarks
- • Hollywood Walk of Fame — more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks...
- • Hollywood Sign — sign reading "HOLLYWOOD" located in Los Angeles, California, United States
- • Getty Center — campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust in Los Angeles
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 12.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.4 miles on Santa Monica Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Los Angeles, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (West Slauson Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Los Angeles, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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